- #1 Hitchhiker - A Mystery Game
97% matchMostly Positive71% of 230 reviews2021
Dev: Mad About PandasPub: Versus Evil
Windows
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Hitchhiker is a mystery game set along lost highways, where your goal is to solve the puzzle of your own backstory.
Why similar: Mystery 25.4%, Surreal 22.3%, Walking Simulator 15.3%, Atmospheric 13.3%, First-Person 12.5%
Why You'll Like It: Captures the surreal, late-night road trip atmosphere and mysterious narrative style of the seed game.
- #2 UNDER the SAND - a road trip simulator
96% matchMostly Positive79% of 1,616 reviews2020
Dev: IndieMax
Windows
Median: 1.9 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 69%
You. Your car. And world under the sand.
Why similar: Driving 25.6%, Automobile Sim 23.3%, Immersive Sim 13.9%, Open World 9.4%, Relaxing 8%
Why You'll Like It: Offers a similar focus on the isolation and relaxation of long-distance driving through atmospheric, lonely environments.
- #3 Sable
96% matchVery Positive86% of 6,495 reviews2021
Dev: ShedworksPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 7.0 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Embark on an unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.
Why similar: Open World 24.4%, Female Protagonist 21.9%, Relaxing 17%, Exploration 13.7%, Atmospheric 13%
Why You'll Like It: Features a vast, surreal open world and a personal vehicle that captures the same sense of quiet, meditative exploration found in Titan Chaser.
- #4 PolyZen Drive
95% matchVery Positive91% of 193 reviews2024
Dev: VitaminsizDev
Windows · Mac
Dive into PolyZen Drive's sandbox of possibilities! Your road, your rules, and endless freedom. Immerse yourself in cozy atmospheres and drive through relaxing scenery, capture moments with your camera, or rush through dense traffic, you dictate your gameplay! The ultimate in driving freedom awaits!
Why similar: Driving 22.5%, Automobile Sim 21.9%, Music 16.7%, Immersive Sim 10.4%, Relaxing 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: Provides a relaxing, sandbox-style driving experience that mirrors the low-pressure, atmospheric nature of the seed game.
- #5 Promesa
94% matchVery Positive86% of 198 reviews2020
Dev: Julián Palacios Gechtman
Windows · Mac
A contemplative experience where you’ll wander through the dreams, memories and fantasies emerging from a dialogue between a grandfather and his grandchild.
Why similar: Experimental 23.5% ★, Walking Simulator 19.7%, Surreal 17.8%, Mystery 10.3%, Relaxing 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: An experimental, surreal walking simulator that shares the dreamlike, contemplative quality of Titan Chaser.
- #6 Lake
93% matchVery Positive87% of 5,919 reviews2021
Dev: GamiousPub: Whitethorn Games
Windows
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 72%
It's 1986 - Meredith Weiss takes a break from her career in the big city to deliver mail in her hometown. How will she experience two weeks in beautiful Providence Oaks, with its iconic lake and quirky community? And what will she do next? It's up to you.
Why similar: Driving 24.4%, Walking Simulator 22.3%, Open World 13.3%, Relaxing 13.2%, Female Protagonist 12.4%
Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, slow-paced driving game that emphasizes atmosphere and the quiet beauty of a small-town environment.
- #7 Proteus
94% matchMostly Positive76% of 2,806 reviews2013
Dev: Ed Key and David KanagaPub: Twisted Tree
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 18 minMean: 2.1 hrs≥1hr: 18%
Proteus is a game about exploration and immersion in a dream-like island world where the soundtrack to your play is created by your surroundings. Played in first-person, the primary means of interaction is simply your presence in the world and how you observe it.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.3%, Experimental 18.6% ★, Relaxing 14.7%, Exploration 11.8%, Music 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: A purely exploratory, relaxing experience that focuses on interacting with a surreal, reactive environment.
- #8 The Cursed Forest
92% matchVery Positive89% of 893 reviews2019
Dev: KPy3OPub: Grable Team
Windows
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 10.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Immerse yourself in the obscure and mysterious autumnal forest, where every wrong step could be your last. As you travel uncover the dark story behind this place, where beauty and danger have become as one.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.7%, Surreal 21.3%, Relaxing 11.9%, Mystery 11.5%, Atmospheric 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: Features atmospheric, nature-focused exploration with a heavy emphasis on mystery and surreal encounters.
- #9 FAR: Lone Sails
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 26,499 reviews2018
Dev: Okomotive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Traverse a dried-out seabed littered with the remains of a decaying civilization. Keep your unique vessel going, overcome numerous obstacles and withstand the hazardous weather conditions. How far can you make it? What will you find?
Why similar: Driving 52.1%, Atmospheric 17.4%, Exploration 14.6%, Adventure 8.8%, Casual 3.6%
Why You'll Like It: Focuses on a journey through a desolate, atmospheric world using a unique vehicle, mirroring the sense of scale and travel.
- #10 Jalopy
91% matchMostly Positive76% of 11,361 reviews2018
Dev: MinskworksPub: Excalibur Games
Windows
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 6.9 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Build, repair, refuel and drive a dilapidated old car on a grand journey through the territories of the former Eastern bloc. Explore Germany, CSFR, Hungary, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria
Why similar: Driving 32.2%, Automobile Sim 31.1%, Open World 10.9%, First-Person 6.6%, Simulation 5%
Why You'll Like It: Combines driving with a focus on car maintenance and atmospheric travel through changing, mysterious landscapes.
- #11 Kentucky Route Zero: PC Edition
90% matchVery Positive80% of 4,468 reviews2013
Dev: Cardboard Computer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 56%
KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO is a magical realist adventure game about a secret highway running through the caves beneath Kentucky, and the mysterious folks who travel it.
Why similar: Surreal 42.6%, Atmospheric 18.6%, Mystery 12%, Adventure 11.9%, Experimental 7.5% ★
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, narrative-driven road trip game that captures the same sense of mystery and dreamlike logic.
- #12 NIDANA
88% matchVery Positive86% of 227 reviews2025
Dev: lvl374Pub: PLAYISM
Windows
She continues to dream. A first-person dream simulator where you explore a corner of a dream.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 34.4%, Surreal 30.4%, Relaxing 15.4%, Atmospheric 6%, First-Person 6%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, abstract, and relaxing walking simulator that mirrors the meditative pacing of the seed game.
- #13 Nephise
89% matchMostly Positive70% of 583 reviews2017
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Nephise is a short and atmospheric puzzle game with narration. It is a relaxing and mysterious experience especially with the help of its music.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 26%, Mystery 13.5%, Female Protagonist 10.5%, Relaxing 9.8%, Exploration 8%
Why You'll Like It: A simple, atmospheric walking simulator that focuses on exploration and light puzzle-solving in a natural setting.
- #14 Lucid Cycle
89% matchMostly Positive72% of 76 reviews2021
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Lucid Cycle offers a set of short but unique experiences.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.6%, Mystery 18.5%, Surreal 18%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Exploration 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, dreamlike exploration game that focuses on mystery and atmospheric environments.
- #15 Road 96 🛣️
86% matchVery Positive92% of 26,373 reviews2021
Dev: DigixartPub: THQ Nordic
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Hitchhike your way to freedom in this crazy procedurally generated road trip. No one's road is the same!
Why similar: Dynamic Narration 44.5% ★, First-Person 17.7%, Atmospheric 13.6%, Exploration 12.3%, Adventure 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy road trip game that captures the feeling of traveling through a changing, mysterious world.
- #16 Cloud Climber
85% matchVery Positive92% of 4,157 reviews2021
Dev: Two Star Games
Windows
Median: 12 minMean: 2.9 hrs≥1hr: 11%
A surreal first person walking sim about the end of humanity. Explore magnificent sky-bound ruins, and learn why they were built.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 48.2%, Atmospheric 10.9%, Relaxing 9.8%, First-Person 9.6%, Adventure 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: A short, atmospheric exploration game that focuses on a peaceful journey through a surreal world.
- #17 Drizzlepath: Genie
87% matchMixed58% of 205 reviews2016
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 96%
Walk as Lula, on the path you choose, as she journeys to discover the meaning of the Genie and fulfill her destiny.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 24.2%, Mystery 13%, Female Protagonist 12.3%, Open World 9.8%, Relaxing 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: A meditative, atmospheric walking simulator that focuses on the beauty of nature and quiet exploration.
- #18 Firewatch
84% matchVery Positive91% of 99,559 reviews2016
Dev: Campo SantoPub: Panic
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 13.6 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 34.1%, Mystery 17.2%, Open World 11.5%, Atmospheric 11.2%, Exploration 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: Provides a strong sense of place and atmospheric exploration, focusing on solitude and mystery in a vast wilderness.
- #19 Dreamcore
83% matchVery Positive89% of 2,017 reviews2025
Dev: MontraluzPub: Tlön Industries
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Experience backrooms like never before. Dreamcore is the ultimate psychological exploration game, set in the largest liminal world ever made. No guides, no path—only intuition. Will you keep your bearings in a world designed to make you lose them?
Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.8%, Surreal 19.5%, Investigation 13.4%, Mystery 10.8%, Relaxing 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, first-person exploration game that focuses on liminal spaces and atmospheric mystery.
- #20 The Old City: Leviathan
86% matchMostly Positive72% of 746 reviews2014
Dev: PostMod Softworks
Windows
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 61%
The Old City: Leviathan is an experiment in first person exploration that focuses entirely on story. All that exists is you and the world. Set in a decaying city from a civilization long past, The Old City: Leviathan puts the player in the shoes of a sewer dwelling isolationist.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 41.4%, Surreal 18.7%, Atmospheric 12.1%, Exploration 12.1%, First-Person 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A slow-paced, atmospheric exploration game that emphasizes mystery and philosophical reflection.
- #21 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
84% matchVery Positive88% of 8,977 reviews2014
Dev: The Astronauts
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 34.5%, Mystery 23.1%, Atmospheric 11.7%, Exploration 9%, First-Person 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, mystery-focused exploration game that emphasizes environmental storytelling and surreal beauty.
- #22 Pacific Drive
81% matchVery Positive83% of 26,975 reviews2024
Dev: Ironwood StudiosPub: Kepler Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 16.9 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Face the supernatural dangers of the Olympic Exclusion Zone with a car as your only lifeline in this driving survival adventure! Scavenge resources, load up your trusty station wagon, and drive like hell to make it through alive.
Why similar: Driving 56.8%, Exploration 12.1%, Atmospheric 10.3%, First-Person 9.6%, Adventure 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: Features a surreal, mystery-filled world where your car is your only companion and sanctuary.
- #23 A Short Hike
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 22,759 reviews2019
Dev: adamgryu
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.7 hrsMean: 5.9 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.
Why similar: Relaxing 23.8%, Open World 19.2%, Exploration 17.5%, Walking Simulator 15.7%, Female Protagonist 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, exploration-focused game that captures the joy of discovery and peaceful travel.
- #24 NaissanceE
82% matchVery Positive84% of 4,457 reviews2014
Dev: Limasse Five
Windows
Median: 42 minMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 44%
NaissanceE is an obscure and magical first person exploration game, a philosophical trip and an artistic experience. The adventure takes place in a primitive mysterious structure and the game mainly consists to explore and feel the deep and strong ambiance of this atemporal world.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.2%, Surreal 24%, Exploration 15.3%, Atmospheric 11.3%, First-Person 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, abstract exploration game that emphasizes scale and atmosphere in a way similar to encountering giant creatures.
- #25 LIMINAL WATERS - ENHANCED EDITION
80% matchVery Positive91% of 137 reviews2025
Dev: DK Productions
Windows
Explore, Listen and Observe. LIMINAL WATERS is a liminal space exploration game. Discover a large facility with diverse rooms and themes and be enchanted by the radiant beauty of Unreal Engine 5.6. Relaxation, anxiety, confusion or familiarity? The mysterious Poolrooms are waiting for you.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.9%, Surreal 26.7%, Relaxing 15.4%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Adventure 5.9%
Why You'll Like It: Offers a surreal, relaxing, and atmospheric exploration experience that feels like a dreamscape.
- #26 Morels: The Hunt
79% matchVery Positive87% of 289 reviews2019
Dev: Abrams Studios
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 11.2 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Morels is a simulation game about mushroom hunting and wildlife photography. Explore a diverse range of regions spanning across the United States. Increase your hunter and photographer levels by collecting a variety of mushrooms, photographing animals, and completing weekly tasks.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.4%, Relaxing 14.9%, Open World 11.9%, Exploration 10.5%, First-Person 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, nature-focused exploration game that emphasizes the peaceful act of searching for items in the wild.
- #27 Chionophile
78% matchVery Positive86% of 213 reviews2020
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Chionophile is a very short experience about the mood of winter in the woods.
Why similar: Experimental 33.6% ★, Walking Simulator 23%, Immersive Sim 12.9%, Exploration 8%, Mystery 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: An experimental, atmospheric exploration game that focuses on the quiet beauty of a winter landscape.
- #28 TRIP Steam Edition
81% matchMixed46% of 284 reviews2015
Dev: TRIPPub: Self-Published
Windows
Median: 6 minMean: 43.1 hrs≥1hr: 24%
Explore an avant-garde cubist dream, stimulate your visual senses and immerse yourself in a surreal TRIP. A visually tantalizing open world artware that culminates the player to relax and enjoy a safe enviroment for them to explore at their own pace. There are no objectives, no rules, just art.
Why similar: Experimental 21.9% ★, Walking Simulator 19.7%, Surreal 15.9%, Relaxing 9.7%, Open World 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, surreal exploration game designed to evoke a dreamlike state of mind.
- #29 Slow Roads
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 719 reviews2026
Dev: Topograph Interactive
Windows · Linux
Median: 24 minMean: 2.2 hrs≥1hr: 29%
Zone out on an endless drive through infinite scenic landscapes. Generate a unique world, set the scene to suit your mood, and just drive...
Why similar: Driving 27.9%, Automobile Sim 23.7%, Walking Simulator 11.1%, Relaxing 10.1%, Immersive Sim 9.7%
- #30 Dreamcore: Rabbit Hole
75% matchMostly Positive72% of 420 reviews2026
Dev: Ankoku
Windows
Walking simulator. Explore cozy liminal spaces that feel unsettlingly familiar and spark your imagination, like a dream you’ve been in before.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.7%, Surreal 17.8%, Exploration 10.3%, Relaxing 9%, Investigation 8.1%
- #31 Sphaera
79% matchMostly Negative37% of 67 reviews2018
Dev: Chilla's Art
Windows
Sphaera is a game about relaxation and exploration in a huge grass field filled with animals.
Why similar: Music 21.1%, Walking Simulator 18.9%, Surreal 16.8%, Simulation 8.9%, Relaxing 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: A casual, atmospheric exploration game that allows players to wander through a peaceful, open environment.
- #32 Submerged
77% matchMostly Positive76% of 4,855 reviews2015
Dev: Uppercut Games Pty Ltd
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Submerged is a third-person combat-free game in which you explore a mysterious flooded city and discover the beauty of desolation in vast outdoor environments. You take on the role of Miku, a young girl who has brought her wounded brother to the city in their small fishing boat.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.4%, Female Protagonist 13.9%, Mystery 13.1%, Open World 12.9%, Relaxing 12.4%
- #33 Super Wash Simulator
75% matchMixed66% of 59 reviews2026
Dev: Yusuf Islam SeyhanPub: Inspector Studios
Windows
A relaxing open world pressure washing simulator where you explore the city, accept cleaning jobs, upgrade your equipment, and turn dirt-covered places into spotless environments at your own pace.
Why similar: Automobile Sim 24.4%, Relaxing 14.5%, Open World 13.9%, Driving 12.2%, Simulation 10.6%
- #34 Treasure Hunter Simulator
78% matchMixed54% of 1,668 reviews2018
Dev: DRAGO entertainment
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Dive into the exciting world of finding long forgotten treasures. Grab your metal detector and set off to explore the countryside. What today looks like a peaceful meadow might have been the scene of a fierce battle in the past, hiding now the valuable artefacts. Ready to dig in the past?
Why similar: Walking Simulator 24.5%, Simulation 13.1%, First-Person 10.8%, Relaxing 10.4%, Open World 10%
- #35 The Wild Eternal
77% matchMostly Positive77% of 180 reviews2017
Dev: Ilsanjo
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 52%
Get lost beneath the fog in The Wild Eternal, a reflective first-person exploration game. Embark on a meditative journey to heal the scars of your past. Can you escape the cycle of reincarnation?
Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.3%, Female Protagonist 12.7%, Mystery 11.4%, Surreal 9.3%, Relaxing 8.3%
- #36 Mushroom Season
73% matchVery Positive90% of 287 reviews2024
Dev: Actus Games
Windows
Dive into Mushroom Season! Customize your character, explore lush forests, and compete in thrilling mushroom picking contest. Identify mushrooms, avoid the poisonous ones, and aim for the top trophy. Are you the ultimate forager?
Why similar: Driving 24%, Walking Simulator 18.9%, Immersive Sim 13%, Open World 9.2%, Relaxing 8.4%
- #37 Easy Breezy Drive
74% matchMostly Positive79% of 77 reviews2024
Dev: Lunar Solitude
Windows
Crank the tunes, and hit the open road in Easy Breezy Drive! This relaxing driving experience lets you cruise endless roads behind the wheel of vehicle of your choice. No objectives, no pressure, just you, your tunes, the endless roads, and enough scenery to make your eyeballs happy.
Why similar: Driving 24.6%, Automobile Sim 21.7%, Music 17.4%, Walking Simulator 16.3%, Relaxing 7.6%
- #38 The Hunting God
76% matchMixed67% of 166 reviews2017
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 2.4 hrs≥1hr: 67%
The Hunting God is a short walking simulator in which you play as Nodens the hunting god and listen to what he has been through accompanied by a white wolf named Draiochta.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.6%, Relaxing 15.6%, Mystery 13.2%, First-Person 9.1%, Atmospheric 8.6%
- #39 The New Flesh
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 3,344 reviews2025
Dev: Freshly Baked Games LLC
Windows
Explore the strange world within the screen in this ambient exploration experience featuring the music of Red Vox.
Why similar: Music 33.2%, Surreal 23.7%, Walking Simulator 21.2%, First-Person 6.2%, Relaxing 5.6%
- #40 Nephise Begins
76% matchMixed62% of 1,405 reviews2017
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Median: 48 minMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 45%
Nephise Begins tells the player what happened at the time before Nephise was an orb collector. The main setting is forest again, but this time without snow, instead a more sunny and foggy weather.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.7%, Relaxing 11.4%, Mystery 10.1%, Female Protagonist 10.1%, Atmospheric 7.8%
- #41 nophenia
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,706 reviews2026
Dev: lane
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 74%
a small dream explorer.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.3%, Surreal 26.9%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Exploration 10%, Atmospheric 9.4%
- #42 EarthKart: Google Maps Driving Simulator
72% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,503 reviews2023
Dev: Colton HutchinsPub: Cold Hut Games
Windows · Mac
3D Google Earth Driving Simulator
Why similar: Driving 25.2%, Automobile Sim 22.3%, Immersive Sim 13.2%, Surreal 11.3%, Open World 7.7%
- #43 Nephise: Ascension
74% matchVery Positive81% of 162 reviews2018
Dev: Tonguç Bodur
Windows
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 73%
Nephise returns, in her deadliest and most expansive adventure yet! Will she escape from Dragons Valley? Find out in this highly immersive first-person “walking simulator” with extensive exploration, as well as light puzzle and platforming elements.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 27%, Mystery 13.9%, Female Protagonist 13.9%, Relaxing 10.7%, First-Person 8.6%
- #44 Alaskan Road Truckers
71% matchMixed62% of 3,270 reviews2023
Dev: Road Studio S.A.Pub: Green Man Gaming Publishing
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 11.4 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Brave the challenging conditions of Alaskan life in the definitive trucker simulator. Be the master of your own destiny as you take jobs, transport cargo and experience a sense of freedom on foot and in your cab.
Why similar: Driving 23.9%, Automobile Sim 23.5%, Open World 11.1%, Immersive Sim 10.9%, Relaxing 7.1%
- #45 Liminal Shroud
69% matchVery Positive91% of 106 reviews2026
Dev: Everdeep Studios
Windows
A different kind of liminal experience. Explore surreal spaces inspired by nostalgia, discover hidden paths, and unravel a mystery that is shaped by your own mind. No monsters, no combat. Just atmosphere, discovery, and dread.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.4%, Surreal 21.4%, Relaxing 14.4%, Exploration 10.3%, Atmospheric 8.6%
- #46 Once Alive
69% matchVery Positive84% of 497 reviews2024
Dev: Cem Boray YıldırımPub: GameDev.ist
Windows
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 3.2 hrs≥1hr: 76%
A story-driven, first-person adventure game offering a cinematic experience. Embark on a journey to HaustVille, an abandoned settlement in a post-apocalyptic world. Explore your surroundings and uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of the last survivors.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 27%, Mystery 18.4%, Investigation 17.9%, Atmospheric 9%, Exploration 8.6%
- #47 Niko: Through The Dream
73% matchMostly Positive73% of 234 reviews2015
Dev: Studio Paint
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Niko is a spiritual journey through the dreams, where adventure, puzzles and mysteries come together in an oneiric and minimalist world. Dare to dream!
Why similar: Adventure 45.7%, Atmospheric 24.2%, First-Person 24.2%, Singleplayer 5.9%
- #48 Home is Where One Starts...
72% matchMostly Positive77% of 721 reviews2015
Dev: David Wehle
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 3.6 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Home is Where One Starts... is a short, first-person exploration game in the same vein as Dear Esther or Gone Home. It’s a story about childhood, hope, and the miracle of memory. You play as a little girl from a broken home somewhere in the American South.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.6%, Female Protagonist 13.4%, First-Person 8.9%, Adventure 8.3%, Atmospheric 7.9%
- #49 Helen Keller Simulator
66% matchVery Positive96% of 156 reviews2026
Dev: Soapy Sandwich
Windows
Explore a world without your eyes and ears to guide you. Uncover the secrets this world has to offer, hoard all the items you can find or get lost trying.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.9%, Female Protagonist 18%, Open World 12.7%, Exploration 12.5%, Mystery 11%
- #50 Lushfoil Photography Sim
66% matchVery Positive92% of 1,845 reviews2025
Dev: Matt2Pub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 42 minMean: 27.9 hrs≥1hr: 43%
A tranquil exploration and photography experience set across a vast selection of faithfully detailed landscapes.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.8%, Immersive Sim 16.6%, Relaxing 13%, Exploration 9.7%, Atmospheric 9%
- #51 Fugue in Void
71% matchMixed67% of 259 reviews2018
Dev: Moshe LinkePub: Sedoc LLC
Windows · Mac
A walking sim in which you can explore all kinds of mysterious places and dive into a world full of atmosphere. Let this experience unfold in your head. Let it inspire you.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 49.4%, Simulation 13.1%, Open World 12.5%, Atmospheric 10.9%, Casual 7.6%
- #52 Quern - Undying Thoughts
68% matchVery Positive91% of 4,096 reviews2016
Dev: Zadbox EntertainmentPub: Blue Brain Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Discover the truth about Quern’s past, unfold the mysteries of its present, and be the explorer who shapes its future. Quern introduces reusable puzzle mechanics to the classic genre, making the player think about the game as a whole, and not just as a series of individual challenges.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.5%, Surreal 13.8%, Mystery 13.4%, Investigation 13.4%, Open World 8.8%
- #53 walk
65% matchVery Positive100% of 316 reviews2026
Dev: bilge
Windows
it's about walking
Why similar: Relaxing 26.5%, Female Protagonist 22.5%, Atmospheric 13.9%, Exploration 9.8%, Simulation 9.6%
- #54 Bus Simulator 23
68% matchVery Positive97% of 61 reviews2023
Dev: Daddysucc5000
Windows
Drive your daily bus route and reconnect with an old friend
Why similar: Driving 41.8%, Relaxing 12.7%, Open World 12.5%, Exploration 12.1%, First-Person 8.8%
- #55 Empathy: Path of Whispers
71% matchMixed60% of 220 reviews2017
Dev: Pixel NightPub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Empathy: Path of Whispers is an atmospheric and story-driven adventure game where you explore a seemingly abandoned world through the emotions and memories of the people who once inhabited it, trying to restore the world’s lost balance by journeying through its past.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 42.5%, Adventure 15.8%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Surreal 14.4%, First-Person 6.9%
- #56 Emergence
69% matchVery Positive84% of 100 reviews2020
Dev: Universal Everything
Windows
An awe-inspiring open-world VR art experience exploring human behaviour, the individual and the collective. Immerse yourself among thousands of strangers. Watch from above as your movements influence the crowd in changing environments that are both wondrous and intimidating.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 24.1%, Surreal 16.9%, Experimental 14.7% ★, Simulation 14.1%, Adventure 10.1%
- #57 NUTS
67% matchVery Positive88% of 1,091 reviews2021
Dev: Joon, Pol, Muutsch, Char & TorfiPub: Noodlecake
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.7 hrsMean: 3.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
NUTS is a single-player walking simulator surveillance mystery. Record the squirrels, report your findings, and piece together what’s really going on in Melmoth Forest.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.4%, Immersive Sim 16.3%, Mystery 14.9%, Open World 10.7%, Female Protagonist 9.9%
- #58 Russian Soul Simulator
67% matchMixed69% of 106 reviews2024
Dev: VD Games
Windows
Russian Soul Simulator is a meditative game that allows the player to look at the Russian nature and the surrounding world in realistic graphics. The game allows the hero to move freely through fields and forests, explore the surrounding terrain and interact with various objects.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 43.2%, Atmospheric 10%, Open World 9.3%, Simulation 9.2%, Relaxing 8.2%
- #59 Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between
67% matchMostly Positive78% of 167 reviews2022
Dev: Silverstring Media Inc.Pub: Fellow Traveller
Windows · Mac
Glitchhikers is a surreal journey through the spaces between places. A late night drive, a deserted airport lounge, a moonlit walk through an empty park, a quiet carriage on an overnight train. Who will you meet? What will you talk about? Where will the journey take you? Find yourself along the way.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 40.1%, Atmospheric 21.2%, Exploration 15%, First-Person 14.1%, Casual 6.3%
- #60 Liminal Universe
67% matchMixed60% of 165 reviews2024
Dev: Gvn Games
Windows
An exploration game that delves into the depths of loneliness. Wander through empty rooms, search for signs of an abandoned world, and listen to the sounds around you. No dangerous chases, just silence and an empty world to explore.
Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.9%, Surreal 24.6%, Relaxing 12.6%, Exploration 10.9%, First-Person 9.1%